


you're in my heart (i hope i'm in yours)

by spirithouse



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, One Shot, Pining, Secret Crush, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 12:37:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13834431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithouse/pseuds/spirithouse
Summary: If Minghao’s life was constructed into a timeline, there would only be two major events: Pre-Junhui and Post-Junhui.





	you're in my heart (i hope i'm in yours)

 

 

 

 

 

 

> **_The Gray Lake: Ghouls or Fog?_ **
> 
> _Posted by Junhui_
> 
>  
> 
> _The Gray Lake is known by most travelers for its clear waters and scenic view. However, not many are aware that it’s the sight of a tragic massacre. During the 15th century, Jiaoguan was only a small village and was almost completely wiped out by invaders. Many villagers’ bodies were dumped into the lake, causing the lake to supposedly turn red for a year. Since then, if you go to the lake at midnight, or during a full moon, you’ll see the villagers’ ghosts walking across the lake. If you go too close to the edge, they’ll drag you in and you’ll become one of the dead! Some people believe this, while others think it’s just fog and people’s imagination playing tricks. Well, me and Minghao spent two full nights investigating the Gray Lake, and this is what we captured . . ._

 

The only thing that occasionally bought travelers to Jiaoguan were the legends surrounding the tiny city.

Minghao and Junhui were 13- and 14-years-old when they decided to start their own club (they were the only members) where they investigated urban legends and haunted locations. Each event was later detailed in blog posts that were popular amongst their friends. It eventually gained a larger audience that didn’t include only their classmates or their number one fan, Minghao’s mom.

 

It was fun, something else to do outside of school hours when video games or movies didn’t cut it. And while people were allowed to view the finished product, it was ultimately just Minghao and Junhui’s _Thing._

 

If Minghao’s life was constructed into a timeline, there would only be two major events: Pre-Junhui and Post-Junhui. Pre-Junhui was okay, nothing dramatic. Minghao lived in a comfortable home with his parents. His mom called him kooky because he could be eccentric sometimes, but it was mild compared to others. He had a close-knit group of friends, but on days where Minghao thought too hard, the group felt incomplete. He found himself longing but not sure what he was longing for, and staring at the inside of his blank wrist. Grandma said it was probably due to some early effects of his soulmate. Minghao tried hard not to think about that. He didn’t want to grow up.

 

Post-Junhui began a week before Minghao started the fourth grade. An elderly couple a few houses down had a new guest move into their home. From what Mom found out, it was a grandson, and he was around Minghao’s age. “They told me you two would get along,” Mom said, and then added quietly, “they’d appreciate it if you’d befriended him. Show him around. Look after him at school.”

 

When Mom invited Wen Junhui and his grandparents for dinner one night, Minghao thought Junhui’s face and attitude were too stuck-up for them to be friends. Minghao’s soul died a little when Mom suggested he showed Junhui his games. Minghao had a feeling Junhui was the type to call his interests childish and make fun of him.

 

As they stepped into his room, Minghao prepared himself for Junhui to comment on the music posters he had tacked up to his walls. Or the actions figures and hip-hop CDs on his bookshelf.

 

“Hey,” Junhui began. Minghao turned to face him as Junhui reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out a deck of Yu-Gi-Oh cards. “. . . Wanna duel?”

 

After that night, Junhui and Minghao were inseparable to the point people were confused if the two weren’t together.  

 

 

 

 

> **_The Wei Mystery House_ **
> 
> _Posted by Minghao_
> 
>  
> 
> _Located on the outskirts of Jiaoguan is an abandoned house that has been there since the 1930s. Its first and only owners was the Wei family. Wei Lim was a successful businessman while his wife, Sun Ai, was a poet. They had a son named Chen. They were a quiet family who kept to themselves, but there were rumors that Wei Lim was embezzling money. Sun Ai had just had a breakthrough with her poetry when she was accused of plagiarism._
> 
>  
> 
> _In June 1938, Sun Ai’s family had arrived for a planned visit. No one was answering the door and the family grew concerned. The authorities were called, and after breaking down the door, they found a terrible sight. In the master bedroom, both Wei Lim and Sun Ai lay in bed with gunshot wounds to their heads. In their son’s room, Chen was also found shot. Authorities concluded the family was shot in their sleep, but no signs of force entry was found, and neither were any clues. Authorities were unable to find out who murdered the family and why._
> 
>  
> 
> _The house was abandoned after Sun Ai’s family claimed the home was haunted and cursed by unrest spirits. People say late at night you can hear gun fire and someone crying._
> 
>  
> 
> _To this day, no one knows what happened inside the house. Me and Junhui have done a lot of research into this case. Read below for our theories, along with what we found after spending a night at the house . . ._
> 
>  

Minghao’s mother mentioned a distant cousin of his finally marrying their soulmate. Minghao thought about his own future marriage, and immediately saw Junhui beside him. It wasn’t an abrupt epiphany---Minghao was always fond of Junhui. He always craved holding Junhui’s hand and felt good when Junhui praised him. He thought about what it’d be like to kiss Junhui whenever he slept over, his face peaceful, and Minghao’s heart swollen.

 

Junhui was a wonderful friend. He could be a fantastic boyfriend. That’s what Minghao imagined, and what all his classmates gushed about. At some point, between their blog gaining popularity and Junhui settling in more comfortably, the school stopped seeing Junhui as an anomaly and more of a heartthrob. He typically got a lot of presents on couple holidays, and girls regularly confessed to him. Junhui thought it was funny, kind of cute. Minghao tried to pretend he was jealous of Junhui getting all the attention and not jealous of the people who were braver than him.  

 

Sometimes Minghao liked to pretend that Junhui looked at him a little more closely. That his eyes carried more light in them whenever Minghao appeared.

 

Minghao only took baths at night, after his parents were asleep. He liked to use the soap suds to trace Junhui’s name on his clean wrist.

 

He wondered whose name would appear to Junhui.

 

 

>  
> 
> **_Minghao’s Journal_ **
> 
> _I’ve been having more dreams about Jun. Not just regular dreams. I dream about him loving me.  I read sometimes you start having dreams about your soulmate before you actually know who they are. Except you can’t see their face clearly in your dreams._
> 
> _This person, I can’t see their face, but I know it’s Jun. It has to be. It feels like him. I wish I could talk to someone about this, but the only person I ever tell deep stuff to nowadays is Jun. I wonder if he’s had any weird dreams. He hasn’t mentioned anything. I know he doesn’t really care for the idea of soulmates, which is weird, right? He says he doesn’t like the predestined part of it or something. We don’t really talk about it.  The one time he brought it up was because he was complaining of his grandparents nagging him about it for some reason. I guess Jun’s just more carefree about love or whatever._
> 
> _Which is fine. I still hope he dreams of me, but I don’t think Jun dreams about anyone beyond himself._
> 
>   
> 
> 
>  
> 
> **_Three Year Anniversary  and the Fairies of Jiaoguan_ **
> 
> _Posted by Junhui_
> 
> _Hello everyone._
> 
> _As many of you have noticed, it has been three years since me and Minghao started this blog and our investigation club. Thank you very much for supporting us, and for being patient with us over the past few months. We are diligent students who still have to study :) But now our school break has started, and me and Minghao are preparing for new legends and haunts to uncover._
> 
> _Recently, a commenter requested we look into a legend that’s pretty popular among younger children. It’s something we’ve all heard when we were small, and starts out pretty light-hearted._
> 
> _Supposedly, somewhere by the mountains, is a cave where fairies reside. There’s a story about a local girl who wandered into the cave, and wasn’t seen for months. When she finally reappeared, she was confused. She said she was only gone for a few hours. She would’ve came back sooner, but she was having too much with the fairies. Not much is known about this particular story, as the girl and her family moved soon after she appeared again, not liking all the attention that was brought to them._
> 
> _This is where the story turns darker._
> 
> _Rumor has it the fairy story was a cover up for a dark secret: the girl had been involved in an affair with someone not her soulmate and had gotten pregnant as a result. You can probably guess the rest. She went to the cave to take care of the incident._
> 
> _If you know of anything related to this case or anything else involving the mysterious fairies, please comment below. Minghao is researching some things now, and we’ll be gearing up to explore soon!_
> 
> _Also, thank you all for wishing me a happy birthday. I spent it having dinner with my grandparents and going to karaoke with Minghao and our friends. It was very nice, but Minghao is kind of tone death._
> 
> _There’s something I want to talk about._
> 
> _I’m very glad and thankful that I get to spend my birthdays and every day of my life with the people I care about. But sometimes my birthdays are hard._
> 
> _My parents disappeared a week before my 10th birthday._
> 
> _Not many people know this. I’ve only just recently told Minghao. Before I lived with my grandparents, I lived with my parents. I had a normal childhood. Except, one night my parents took me to my friend’s house. They said they were going on a camping trip and would be back in three days. I really wanted to go, but my mom just said they’d come back for me soon._
> 
> _They never came back. I don’t know what happened to them and neither do the police. I don’t think they abandoned me like some of you might believe. I don’t think they were murdered either._
> 
> _That’s one mystery I probably won’t ever be able to solve._
> 
> _I still have hope that one day they’ll reappear, in some way. Until then, I won’t be sad when it nears my birthday, like I used to do when I was younger._
> 
> _My 17th year is off to a good start :)_
> 
>   
> 
> 
>  

“It smells weird.”

 

“It’s nature.”

 

“I don’t like the smell of nature,” Minghao griped, eyeing the ring of  mushrooms that surrounded the cave opening before stepping on one. The soft impact was somewhat relaxing.

 

It took longer than anticipated to find the supposed cave where the fairies lived. They had walked around the same area multiple times before realizing the entrance was small and covered up by tall bushes.

 

“At least it doesn’t smell like a corpse,” Junhui added, adjusting the camera in his hold. His eyes widened at Minghao continuing to smash his foot into the squashed mushrooms. “Hey--no!”

 

Minghao jerked up, moving his foot away. “Huh, what?”

 

“I think you just destroyed part of a fairy ring,” groaned Junhui. It took another moment for Minghao to see his error, and he grimaced, backing away. “It should be fine . . .Hopefully you didn’t piss them off before we got started.”

 

“You really think there’s _fairies?_ ” Minghao asked. He and Junhui were always open-minded when it came to their cases, no matter how unbelievable. But fairies were on another level Minghao couldn’t quite grasp.

 

“Bad attitude, Minghao,” was all Junhui said, gaze hard on Minghao like he was daring him to continue to be sour.

 

Minghao hated how easily guilted he felt. “Sorry.” Junhui shrugged, eyes softening, and when he touched his arm Minghao tried not to react.  

 

“It’s okay,” Junhui replied, looking back down at the mushrooms.

 

“Let’s get everything we need before it’s too dark. I can’t actually stay out too late today, so we’ll probably have to come back tomorrow.” Minghao shrugged off his backpack and pulled out two hard hats he borrowed from his uncle. He wasn’t an expert in cave exploration, but the internet said it’d be wise to have a form of head protection.

 

Holding out his helmet, Minghao still refused to meet Junhui’s eyes. Another few seconds of silence and Junhui finally took the helmet, Minghao catching a glimpse of his empty wrist. A soulmate’s name usually appeared sometime after one’s 16th birthday and before their 20th birthday. Minghao and Junhui’s could appear at any moment.

 

Minghao chose to ignore it.

 

Junhui stood in front of the cave, eyes a little distant, and a smile faint on his face. “My mom used to really like fairies.”

 

Minghao hadn’t meant to whip his head up so fast and had tried to be more nonchalant about it. As long as they’ve known each other, Junhui hardly talked about his parents. His attitude seemed to dampen whenever they were mentioned. The only time they were brought up was when Junhui’s grandparents reminisced on old memories, or how much Junhui acted like one of them. While Junhui had explained his parents’ disappearances, he wasn’t keen on discussing anything further about the matter. Minghao didn’t press him, understanding that if Junhui had more to say, then he would when he was ready.

 

“Really?” Minghao said, and Junhui nodded.

 

“She was sick a lot growing up, and she didn’t really have any friends, so she kinda had to learn how to entertain herself and be her own friend. Grandma says she told a lot of stories about fairies and stuff, and how she befriended some. I guess she used to sneak out at night a lot to go play with them,” Junhui finished, and Minghao was ready for him to explain further, but then Junhui began walking toward the cave. “Let’s go?”

 

Junhui was close to saying something, and Minghao wanted to ask, wanted Junhui to just say it. But he nodded and followed Junhui’s lead.

 

Maybe another day.

 

 

 

> **_Exploration Goes Wrong with One Person Missing_ **
> 
>  
> 
> _Two teenagers were exploring a cave_ _in the northern_ _Jiaoguan woods when a chasm opened underneath them. One only fell a few meters before catching onto a ledge; however, the other continued to fall and was nowhere to be seen or heard. The other teen managed to climb their way back up and out of the cave to call authorities. They suffered only a mild cuts from fallen rocks._
> 
>  
> 
> _The cave was searched for hours to locate the missing teen. The area where the two fell was found, and given the depth of it, authorities believe the missing teen is possibly deceased . . ._

 

Minghao had a few choices.

 

He could believe the authorities when they said the cave was too dangerous and it was impossible to locate Junhui’s body, that he was most likely dead at this point. He could believe in the quiet tears of Junhui’s grandparents, and the shrine they already created out of Junhui’s room. He could believe in _this is it. He’s gone_.

 

But Minghao didn’t want to.

 

In his dreams the faceless person, _Junhui_ , was still there. And whenever Minghao stood in front of the unfortunate cave, he could feel Something. He couldn’t explain it outside of the cave just felt alive, something old and mystic,  and that’s why he believed Junhui wasn’t truly dead.

 

He was in there, or somewhere, but regardless he was alive. No one believed Minghao.

 

The mushroom Minghao destroyed inside the fairy ring had grown back.

 

☁️

Junhui appeared two weeks later and Minghao’s left wrist burned. Minghao had been waiting at the cave, like he had done everyday, because he refused to believe, when Junhui came out. Junhui looked unfocused as he studied his surroundings, but then his gaze landed on Minghao, and he smiled.

 

Minghao rubbed his eyes, heartbeat painful, as he tried to force out a word and not a sob. He wasn’t dreaming, he couldn’t be dreaming. Junhui’s skin was cool and real when Minghao ran into him, arms wrapping tight, tears now trickling out.

 

Maybe it was a little weird that Junhui looked perfectly fine, no scratches or blood on his body. Minghao couldn’t get past his soft laughter and how good it felt to hear Junhui say, “I’m here now. I’m sorry.”

 

Minghao’s wrist continued to ache, but no name appeared.

 

When they went back to Junhui’s house, it was like seeing a ghost. His grandma nearly fainted and his grandpa clutched his chest. They had already accepted the fact that their only grandson was dead, and now he wasn’t.

 

Junhui claimed he couldn’t remember anything. He remembered falling and his head hurting, but when he woke up he was near the entrance of the cave. He saw Minghao once he walked out.

 

“I think I was just unconscious,” Junhui said, staring down into the dark tea his grandpa brewed. “Maybe I didn’t fall as deep as people thought. I don’t know.” His hands balled into fists on his lap, and Minghao placed his own hand on top of them, carefully opening them so he could entwine their fingers.

 

When Junhui looked at him, it was like cold rain drops spilling on Minghao’s face and waking him up. Junhui appeared brand new, his eyes just a bit brighter than normal. Minghao’s heart stuttered.

 

“Maybe that legend is true and fairies do live in that cave,” Minghao confessed. “Maybe they saved you.”

 

☁️

There was a brief media frenzy following Junhui’s reappearance. There were some who accused him and Minghao of pulling a stunt to make themselves popular. Others argued the authorities truly were incompetent if they couldn’t find a child they had claimed was dead. Older locals said the cave was magical, and they wished people would stop trying to play around with it.

 

Minghao wrote a brief blog post explaining the that blog and all explorations were on hiatus until further notice.

 

While a doctor said Junhui was in good health and didn’t need any monitoring, something still felt a tad off. It was barely there, no one else could notice it, and if Minghao wasn’t so sensitive, he probably wouldn’t have either.

 

Junhui spoke and behaved the same. Still said the same lame jokes. Still liked eating his favorite foods and listening to his favorite singers. He still disliked his teachers and still talked about going overseas for university just to get away from the country for a while.

 

A few weeks ago Minghao would have blamed it on wishful thinking. But he wasn’t imaging it---Junhui did look at him differently now, face flushed, mouth ready to say a secret. He began to feel like the person in Minghao’s dream: too unreal, magical, maybe otherworldly.

 

Then when Minghao thought he could spill his thoughts, that maybe he could kiss Junhui, the other would laugh and Minghao remembered.

 

There was no way Junhui could be his.

 

 

 

> **_Minghao’s Journal_ **
> 
>  
> 
> _Sometimes when Jun sleeps over, I catch him up when he thinks I’m asleep. Sometimes he’ll just be staring at the ceiling for a few minutes before going back to sleep, and other times he’ll be sitting up staring outside the window. I’m not saying this next part because I think he’s beautiful (which he is), but I think Jun really is glowing when the moonlight catches him. And a glare catches in his eyes where it looks blue and white all over, still glowing. It’s weird. Ever since Junhui came back everything’s been the same and not the same. It’s these small things that are different, but because they’re so small, I’m not sure if they’re worth being concerned over I don’t know. Maybe I’m being overdramatic._
> 
>  
> 
> _Yesterday me and Jun were doing homework together, and I looked at his face and realized, the tiny moles he has around his mouth and chin--they weren’t exactly in the right spot. And it’s dumb, because they’re super light and no one else would notice and maybe I’m just remembering them wrong, but it’s different. Jun’s different and yet he’s not._
> 
>  
> 
> _I don’t know. My wrist has been aching lately. I think a name is gonna come soon. Jun says his wrist hasn’t been doing anything, which makes me sad. He also hasn’t mentioned any dreams. I really wanna know who his soulmate is. I really want it to be me._
> 
>  
> 
> _Sometimes I think I should just tell him. Regardless of if we do or don’t turn out to be soulmates….I think I still want to let Jun know. I don’t want something like what happened in the cave to happen again, and for one of use to leave without the other knowing.  I want to tell him. I think I’m gonna do it._
> 
>  
> 
> _Tomorrow. I’ll tell him._
> 
>  

 

The sharp pain in his wrist was enough to wake Minghao up. He rolled over, thinking the pain was from him laying on his hand. The pain continued to grow hotter and aching until he opened his eyes and sat up, cradling his wrist to his stomach.

 

Minghao’s whine was loud enough to wake Junhui from his side of the room.

 

“It really hurts,” Minghao blurted out, and Junhui staggered out of his bed and into Minghao’s. He took his hand and turned it over.

 

For years, Minghao had only his thoughts, his intuition, the vague dreams, and Junhui’s recent behavior to go off on. He wanted to be Junhui’s soulmate and for Junhui to be his. There wasn’t anyone else.

 

There, on Minghao’s wrist, written neatly in fine print like a simple tattoo, was Junhui’s name.

 

Minghao stared and stared until elation burst opened his chest and he looked at Junhui’s wrist.

 

There wasn’t any name. Nothing was on either wrist. The elation quickly frizzled out into despair. It made no sense because as soon as one name appeared on a person’s wrist, then their soulmate would automatically have their name, too.  

 

Junhui was on Minghao’s, but Minghao wasn’t on Junhui’s. No one was.

 

He hadn’t meant to sob out, but he couldn’t help it. “What’s going on? I--I don’t get it . . .”

 

The only reason a name wouldn’t appear was if the intended person was deceased.  

 

Junhui was right in front of him. Minghao was still alive.

 

Junhui lifted his eyes from their wrists and once again looked at Minghao liked he knew so much more than a normal human being should. Like he knew things Minghao tried so hard to ignore because he was too scared to face the truth.

 

Minghao stared back despite how watery and unfocused his vision was. “You’re not him.” Junhui’s smile was not malicious, just sad.

 

“When did you figure it out?” he asked, voice too quiet,  and Minghao’s guilt said when Junhui came out of the cave. “Were you really in denial for that long?”

 

His hands cupped Minghao’s cheeks, thumbs rubbing circles into the skin. He was cool. He felt like Junhui. His wrists were empty, his eyes were a shade lighter, and the dainty moles around his mouth and chin weren’t in the right place.

 

“Who are you?” Minghao gritted out, but the tears spilling over Junhui’s fingers made it less threatening.

 

“Do you really want to know?”

 

“You’re not him, so tell me.” His head hurt, his eyes burned, and his wrist felt like an anchor tying him down to some place he couldn’t see.

 

Junhui brought his hands down to his shoulders, and Minghao felt awful how he didn’t feel frightened. “I guess people would call me a changeling.”

 

“I thought changelings were just for kids.”

 

“No, not always,” Junhui said, face now neutral. “Anyone can be replaced at any age.”

 

“Where is he then?” Minghao asked. If Junhui’s name was on his wrist, that had to mean the real one was still out there. The changeling rested his head on Minghao’s shoulder, and through the familiar scent that was Junhui, there was another smell that was unhuman-like.   

 

“The same place his parents ended up. Where that girl got away from.”

 

“I want him back.” Minghao finally pushed Junhui away, putting distance between them. He didn’t allow himself to feel guilt at the other’s pained expression.

 

They sat in silence, with Minghao having long stop crying, until Junhui sighed and got out of bed.

 

“I really wanted this with you,” he said, staring at the ground before catching Minghao’s gaze. Minghao’s heart still soared, even if it wasn’t as high this time. “But I’ll take you to him.”

 

☁️

He didn’t know how to feel. He thought he was done with the cave, but maybe he shouldn’t have been so foolish. The sky was still a creamy orange and soft blue. In another hour, his parents would realize neither he nor Junhui were in his room.

 

Tiny gold lights darted inside the cave. Minghao traced Junhui’s name on his wrist.

 

“Is he okay?” Minghao asked as Junhui walked forward. He paused for a second before reaching back and taking Minghao’s hand in his.

 

“His name still showed up, didn’t it?”

 

This time when Minghao walked into the cave, he had no helmet and was underprepared. He had no concern for his safety, only the thought of Junhui was somewhere in there, and he wanted him back.  There was no sign of the gold orbs or any source of light, but Junhui walked like he knew the path despite the darkness all around them. Minghao’s heartbeat and Junhui’s breathing were the only sounds in the cave. Yet somewhere behind him, Minghao thought he heard a small voice giggle.

 

“Ju--I’m scared,” Minghao said, dragging his shoes into rocks.

 

“You’ll be okay,” Junhui said, finally stopping. He gripped Minghao’s hand tightly, before yanking him forward and pushing him over the chasm. “You’ll be fine. You always are.”

 

Minghao didn’t even scream.

 

 

 

> **_Teenagers Involved in Summer Cave Incident Now Missing_ **
> 
>  
> 
> _Xu Minghao (16) and Wen Junhui (17) were two teengers invovled in the northern Jiaoguan cave incident that occurred this past summer.  The two boys ran a popular blog and were exploring the cave for supposed fairies when a chasm opened up underneath them. Xu was found alive but Wen was declared dead when his body was unable to be found. He reappeared, alive, a few weeks later._
> 
>  
> 
> _Now both boys have been reported missing by their families, with no traces of their whereabouts.  Wen had been sleeping over at Xu’s home, and Xu’s parents last saw them after having dinner together and everyone went to bed. At some point in the morning, the two boys had left the house. A neighbor who was getting ready for work saw the two leaving the house and going down to the bus stop. The neighbor thought it was odd the two were still dressed in their pajamas, but said nothing looked out of the ordinary.  This was the last sighting of them. It is still unknown what bus, if any, the boys got on or where they were headed to. No foul play is suspected._
> 
>  
> 
> _The families of the missing are offering a reward to anyone who knows what happened or know of the boys’ whereabouts._
> 
>  

Minghao would have graduated this year, but his mom tried not to think about that. Her co-workers at the office were so quick to talk about the prestigious universities their child had gotten into, only to quiet whenever she walked through the door.  

 

They could talk about their children if they wanted. It’s been a year. It still hurt. But she could listen to people talk about their children without tearing up.

 

Today was a rare day where she managed to get off work early. She picked up dinner from a nearby restaurant and took the subway home. A boy on the train looked similar to Minghao and her heart gave a quick jump, then quickly died out, when she realized it wasn’t him.

 

She breathed in and out.

 

Her husband wasn’t home yet. She left the food wrapped up on the table while she went and dressed down into more comfortable clothing. She had to walk pass Minghao’s closed room, she peeked inside, just in case, before closing it. There was nothing. She hasn’t touched it since he went missing.

 

A few minutes later, she sat on the couch scooping food into her mouth and a drama playing on the TV. The show was kind of awful.

 

The doorbell rang and she stared at it, first wondering who could it be, and then _oh god._

 

She placed her food down and stood up, hands clammy, and breath quickening out. She always did this. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions, she really shouldn’t---

 

The doorbell rang again and she answered it.

 

The sob that escaped was ugly.

 

“Hi, mom,” Minghao said, alive with pink cheeks and holding Junhui’s hand. They looked exactly the same. They were still wearing the same pajamas from the night she last saw them.

 

Even though the air around them was a bit tilted, Minghao’s hair seemed a shade lighter, his smile a bit crooked, and Junhui’s gaze hard like he knew her questions, this was them. This was her son.

 

Everything was okay again.

 

 

 

 


End file.
